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Tuesday, March 29, 2005

April Previews Highlights: Erin’s Picks

Pick of the MonthAge of Bronze: Sacrifice TP and Age of Bronze #20Image – pg. 145 and 148; $19.95 and $3.50; 225 pgs. and 24 pgs.By Eric ShanowerThis is a two-in-one pick of the month with both the next issue in the Age of Bronze beginning a new story arc and the second trade collecting issues 10-19. Age of Bronze chronicles the events leading to the Trojan War, and now in the second trade the war itself, in a meticulously researched version of the epic history and myth. Whether you enjoy history or just a well-told story, this is a great series to try.

Featured ComicsAEIOU GN (An Easy Intimacy)Top Shelf – pg. 372; $12; 224 pgs.By Jeffrey BrownI’m lucky this month since some of my favorite creators have books solicited, including this reprint by Jeffrey Brown. It was originally published as a special limited edition that I wasn’t able to get my hands on before it went out of print. Needless to say I’m very glad it’s back in print, and I can now complete Brown’s “Girlfriend Triology.”

Cute ManifestoAlternative Comics – pg. 242; $19.95; 168 pgs.By James KochalkaIn several essays, with partial color throughout, “Kochalka plots a theoretical path to happiness addressing issues such as comics and art, birth and death, technology and joy, and everything in between.” The ad/comic on page 241 of Previews was what really made me decide to order this comic, though. Good quirky, funny stuff.

Black Diamond On RampAiT/Planet Lar – pg. 227; $2.95; 32 pgs.By Larry Young and Jon ProctorFor a 32-page comic, this has quite the plot description. Suffice it to say Young and Proctor look ready to deliver a fully charged action adventure … and, for the first time for the publisher, in full color.

Ice Haven GNPantheon Books – pg. 339; $18.95; 88 pgs., FC, HCBy Daniel ClowesPantheon Books has a great reputation, and seems to be going to help that even more with this full-color hardcover book by Daniel Clowes. The story follows Random Wilder, a poet and guide to the town of Ice Haven. The solicit says, “The lives of men and women of Ice Haven are woven into a multi-layered tale inspired by the infamous Leopold and Loeb.”

Quick Picks

Hellboy is back in a two-part series “The Island” (pg. 22; $2.99; 32 pgs.) from Dark Horse.

Reading the first sentence in the description was enough to get me to purchase this four-issue series titled Scarlet Traces: The Great Game (Dark Horse pg. 24; $2.99; 32 pgs.). It reads “After almost four decades of conflict, the British invasion of Mars has ground to a bloody stalemate in the dust of the red planet.” Nice.

Astro City: The Dark Age #1 is resolicited. I’m really looking forward to this one, so I hope it does indeed come out on June 22 this time (Wildstorm; pg. 107; $2.99; 32 pgs.).

A new six-issue series from Wildstorm called Albion follows the return of Britain’s “collection of paragons, monsters, and clowns that vanished a quarter century ago” (pg. 107; $2.99; 32 pgs.).

Solstice TP from Active Images and creators Steven T. Seagle and Justin Norman looks very intriguing. The book involves a search for the Fountain of Youth and the revelation of why it has never yet been found (pg. 212; $12.95; 96 pgs.).

Adhouse Books and Joshua W. Cotter are releasing the second issue of Skyscrapers of the Midwest (pg. 213; $5; 60 pgs.). I found the first issue nothing short of amazing, and can’t wait for this second issue.

David, a three-issue series recounting the story of David from the First Book of Samuel caught my eye. There are so many great stories from the Bible, and paired with what looks to be beautiful art, this particular comic adaptation has a lot of promise (Alias; pg. 238; $2.99; 32 pgs.).

I enjoyed Teenagers from Mars quite a lot, so seeing Dead West solicited by the same creators, Rick Spears and Rob G., got me excited. This book follows the soul survivor of the demolition of a small Indian village as he seeks revenge (Gigantic Graphic Novels; pg. 312; $14.95; 144 pgs.).

I talked with Paul Guinan, the artist of Heartbreakers Meet Boilerplate, at the Emerald City Comicon, so the solicit caught my eye. The art is what stood out for me at the comicon and here as well. It is described as “’paintography,’ combining drawing, painting, and photography, and printed in rich brown ink.” Sample pages are available here. The story follows a long-lost 19th century robot named Boilerplate as he teams up with female action heroes the Heartbreakers (IDW Publishing; pg. 320; $9.99; 104 pgs.).

Trade TreatmentSeveral series worth noting are getting the trade treatment this month.

WE3 TPVertigo – page 123; $12.99; 104 pgs.This was a great series and definitely worth picking up if you haven’t yet, however, I’m mystified by the price. There’s nothing to indicate extra material and to purchase the three issues separately would only set you back $8.85, so why are they charging more than $4 more for the trade? Huh.

Street Angel Volume 1 TPSLG – page 245; $14.95Street Angel is a fun series and the trade collects issues 1-5 along with the 4-page strip from Free Comic Book Day and a sketchbook section, cover reprints, and a pinup gallery.

The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty TPBeckett Comics – page 268; $21.95; 200 pgs.Some more fuzzy math in the trade department. This collects the entire 8-issue series, which you can buy for a total of $15.92 or pay about $6 more for the trade. I’m wondering if this is a typo and should be $12.95?

3 Comments:

I think I'll want to get Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity, but what I'd really like to get is the second compilation of Superman/Batman, featuring the return of Supergirl to the DCU. It's certainly better than the first arc of the series, that's for sure.